Saturday, 17 June 2017

A Lamb....and the Red Dress

Back in May we were asked to take this little lamb by friends who had found it on the roadside. They were miles from anywhere when they spotted the little fellow, so they drove to the two nearest farm houses to ask if he belonged to them. Neither farm people wanted him, so what to do? They called me.
He was only a day or two old and was strong and healthy, so he suckled well at our first attempt to bottle feed him some cow's milk.
Ideally, I'd rather raise a number of lambs than one single, so he would learn to be a sheep and not a human; or a hen in this case!
For security sake, against foxes, we lock him in with the hens at night, so he's perfectly happy with them and thinks he is one.
I've put the word out, on Facebook and Instagram, that I will take any orphan lambs in our district, but thus far no luck in finding him a playmate.
Our ewes are due to have their lambs at the beginning of next month, July, so until then he will need to stay with us here in the house yard and hen house.

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A few days later, the girls arrived to spend a week with us, so you can guess which little animal got the most attention.

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The red dress was an op-shop find for a few dollars, and five year old Isla wore it everywhere. Not exactly appropriate farm wear, but oh well.!

Lambie got rather spoilt, but I think the girls will always remember their holiday with Granny and the lamb.
Everywhere that Isla went, the lamb was sure to go.


14 comments:

  1. Sally I love the 'farm outfit'...frilly dress and gum boots. LOL! What a lovely time you must have had with your granddaughters!

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    1. They didn't want to leave Chel. We had so much fun, so much to do on the farm, and of course the animals are an extra special treat for them.

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  2. That lamb and your granddaughters are very cute! I can't think of anything more gorgeous than to wear a frilly red dress on a farm. Meg:)

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    1. It was purchased for a dress-ups outfit, but she loves it to bits, and as she dresses herself she's still wearing it back home in Melbourne, much to her mother's embarrassment.

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    1. And when she spins around it flies right out, just like a ballerina! Every little girl's dream. :)

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  4. Poor little lamb, I'm glad he found a home with you .... and the chickens.

    And I love the dress, every farm helper should have one.

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    1. There was a little less dress as each day passed.. caught in prickly raspberry bushes and dry grass, I was frequently cutting bits off the bottom. :)

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  5. how precious...I love kids and their way of being themselves... She must have been in heaven to have such a beautiful dress...and who says it is not the best farm wear ;>

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    1. Her patient Mama lets her choose and dress herself, but there's plenty of eye rolling going on too. Thankfully, she agreed to take it off and leave it behind whenever we went out. ;)

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  6. So sweet. A lovely post to read, first thing on a Monday morning. :) I hope a companion shows up soon.

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    1. Thanks Chris, but still no companion lamb as yet..!! (Said whilst rolling eyes) We've found that if Brian puts him out in the small paddock near the hen yard, he will graze contentedly, but if I try to do it he bleats constantly, wanting to get back to be near me. So I'm obviously the Mummy and Brian is the nasty one who tagged his ear and put the rings on his tail and testicles. Lambie doesn't want to be near him at all.!

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    2. Oh my. The joys of being a young lamb, and a good shepherd.

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  7. So many cute things in this post, lambs and grandbabies, such a great combination :)

    xTania

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